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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. chest — of your body
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — happening now
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mate — a partner
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. current — electric
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. chest — a box
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rush — hurry
  18. board — to get on
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. current — of water
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com